Travel

Iceland

The land of Fire & Ice, the Republic of Iceland is filled with geothermal hot springs, powerful geysers, active volcanoes, ancient lava fields, towering glaciers and stunning waterfalls. Though it is the most volcanically active country in the world, Iceland is also home to a densely-urban population, most of whom live near the capital city of Reykjavik. Set on a bay, surrounded by mountains and heated by geothermal hot springs, it is a city that combines old-world wooden architecture with modern buildings. From whale watching to skiing, there's something in Iceland for you.

Mud Baths in Iceland

For Christmas, our family decided to give each other experiences. When my husband and I opened the card from our son, we discovered that his gift to us was mud baths! We laughed, appreciating his attempt to revitalize the family for I was still recovering from pneumonia and my husband had been working way too hard. Our laughter changed to amazement when D'Arcy explained that the mud baths were at a hot springs spa in volcanic Iceland! We chose to go in spring, booked a house in the mountains not far from picturesque Reykjavik and rented a car. The numerous hot springs did prove fabulously relaxing, the air was incredibly pure, the people friendly, but what made us want to return was the awareness gained of our planet as a living, breathing organism. We saw fissures and fault lines where tectonic plates collide, walked on lava fields of the still forming land, watched sulphurous hot pools bubble, and saw steaming geysers erupt. The earth was alive beneath us! The scenery was breathtaking - waterfalls and rainbows, snowcapped mountains and glaciers, surging surf on black beaches, vast lava plains reclaimed by mosses and wildflowers. We came home, definitely invigorated and extremely grateful.

Submitted by:
Paulette S., Toronto

Iceland is located in the Atlantic Ocean just south of the Arctic Circle and east of Greenland. However, unlike its larger neighbour, Iceland is considered to be a part of Europe and is included amongst the Scandinavian nations, though even Norway is almost 1,000 kilometres away.

Iceland's climate can be classified as cold oceanic, as the warm winds of the Atlantic help ensure a higher annual temperature than other areas of similar latitude (i.e. The Yukon or Northwest Territories). Iceland's winters are mild and windy, though the average daytime temperature in Reykjavik is only -0.5°C in January. Summers, on the other hand, are damp and cool, with temperatures ranging from 5°C at night to as high as 25°C during the day.

Capital City: Reykjavik

Currency: Icelandic krona (ISK)

Language(s) Spoken: Icelandic

Iceland is an amazing destination at any time of the year. The majority of tourists visit in June to August, but you can take advantage of lower airfare outside of that season and enjoy many of the offerings Iceland has. In the winter, celebrate with Icelanders who take Christmas to an entirely different level and take advantage of the spectacular Aurora Borealis.

Glaciers and Glacier Fjords

Glacier Lagoon - Jokulsarlon

Thingvellir - The only place in the world where you can easily see the tectonic plates move apart from each other